• About Us
    • Disclaimer and Policies
  • Giveaways
  • Features
    • Pre-Order Deal Incentives!
    • Author Talk Podcasts
    • Flashback Friday
    • Whadda YA Know Wednesday

Fiction Fare

  • Banners
  • Reviews
  • Contact Us

Review: Lessons Learned

August 25, 2012 by Jaime Leave a Comment

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned by Sydney Logan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was a solid 3.5 stars for me.

I think that for a debut author this is a wonderful start. I enjoyed the premise of the book and for the most part the characters. She tackles a tough topic and does it respectfully and honestly.

Sarah Bray and Lucas Miller are both new to Sycamore Falls… though Sarah grew up there, she left trying to escape the small town mentality and everyone knowing her business. She’s now returned to start a new chapter of her life in the place where she is desperately looking for roots. Lucas is looking to start new as well after a scandal in NYC forces him to reassess what he wants in life.

The two instantly bond and a friendship and eventual relationship forms.

While Lessons Learned does feed into the perceptions of a small town stereotype I can only assume these are accurate never having lived in this type of area. It really makes you think… and wonder, why, even if we don’t agree with a persons lifestyle, we can’t still love and support them as a human being… not only in a small town, but everywhere.

A few things that caused me to reduce the stars:

1. Lucas – I mean don’t get me wrong- the dude is lovely… and perfect. A little too perfect. It was like the author imagined every single thing that the perfect man could do, say or be and dumped it into this character. While that’s lovely, it’s not realistic and at times it kind of took me out of the story. I just think a little more realism in the character would have had me clinging to him a bit more.

2. All the climbing in laps, and carrying of Sarah around. It seemed like everytime they were together she was jumping into his arms. I don’t know… maybe that’s me being picky, but I totally noted it while I was reading.

3. Sarah… *sigh* I REALLY really like to bond with the narrator and main character of the story, and I had a hard time doing that with her. She’s lovely for sure, and to some extent I really liked her, but It seemed like every other chapter she was crying or having a panic attack. I wanted her to be a bit stronger and not have to depend on Lucas for getting better and getting past the terrible thing that happened in her life.

4. It all felt a little bit contrived to me. Without ruining anything for readers, the something that happened to Sarah at her previous school is almost repeating itself at her new school…

While I’m not at all fan of Fade to Black scenes except in YA books, these didn’t truly bother me but please do note they are definitely FTB’s.

What I did Like:

1. Matt Stuart – he was a wonderful addition to the cast of characters and I instantly felt for him. Even though I guessed his ‘secret’ from the get-go, I still enjoyed all the scenes with him.

2. the emotional aspects of this book. As I said above, the topic really gets you thinking about where you stand, and how you treat other human beings. Instead of judging them for their lives and how they live it maybe it’s better to instead acknowledge that you have differing views but care for that person because they have a beating heart instead of who they date or what color skin they have.

This is definitely a promising start for a great new author and I look forward to seeing what she writes in the future. If you love a romance with heart, give this one a read.

View all my reviews

Related Posts

  • Related Posts
Fiction Fare
Cover Reveal: Hold On Tight by Serena Bell
This Is How It Happened by Paula Stokes
Fiction Fare
REVIEW: Tabula Rasa by Kristen Lippert-Martin
Fiction Fare
REVIEW: Falling for the Enemy by Samanthe Beck
Fiction Fare
Review: Two (One Universe #2)

Filed Under: Book Review Tagged With: Contemporary Romance, GoodReads, Reviewed By Jaime

About Jaime

Avid reader and book blogger, lover of music, writing, my kid & my cats. Master of sarcasm and snark and doing what makes me happy.

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • pinterest
  • bloglovin
  • custom1
  • goodreads
  • rss
  • custom2

Get Our Updates!

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

E-Book Deals!

E-Book Deals!


Author Talk

 photo author-talk_zpscsw6iy8a.png

Archives

What We’re Currently Reading

Jaime's bookshelf: currently-reading

The Trouble with Destiny
0 of 5 stars
The Trouble with Destiny
by Lauren Morrill
The Beginning of Everything
0 of 5 stars
The Beginning of Everything
by Robyn Schneider
Forget Tomorrow
0 of 5 stars
Forget Tomorrow
by Pintip Dunn

goodreads.com

Erin's bookshelf: currently-reading

Endure
0 of 5 stars
Endure
by Sara B. Larson
The Unquiet
0 of 5 stars
The Unquiet
by Mikaela Everett
Twist
0 of 5 stars
Twist
by Karen Akins

goodreads.com

Upcoming Reviews

None yet!

Ebates Coupons and Cash Back

Challenge Participant

Recent Comments

  • Lisa Loves Lit on Waiting on Wednesday: The Queens of Innis Lear By Tessa Gratton
  • bookbunny68 on Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Have Been On My TBR the Longest and I Still Haven’t Read
  • Kristy Petree on Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Have Been On My TBR the Longest and I Still Haven’t Read
  • MischaS_ on Cover Reveal: Beyond Pain by Kit Rocha
  • Maggie @ ReadingDiva's Blog on Blog Tour: Tempests & Slaughter by Tamora Pierce

Recent Posts

  • People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
  • Flashback Friday: Blood and Sand by C.V. Wyk
  • Our Top Ten Most Anticipated Books to Screen Podcast Episode
  • Flashback Friday: The Highwayman (Victorian Rebels #1) by Kerrigan Byrne
  • Podcast Episode 81: #FicNews–March 2021

Recent Reviews

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George
Crown of Bones (Amassia #1) by A.K. Wilder
Courting Trouble (Goode Girls Romance #2) by Kerrigan Byrne
Eventide by Sarah Goodman
All Scot and Bothered (Devil You Know #2) by Kerrigan Byrne
Deadly Curious by Cindy Anstey
Review: Rebel Spy by Veronica Rossi
The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant
A Dark and Stormy Knight (Victorian Rebels #7) by Kerrigan Byrne

Copyright ©2010-2015 Fiction Fare « All Rights Reserved « Site Design by The CreativeB « Login